Ask the kids to make table nameplates for everyone who's coming to Christmas dinner, with a drawing of the person rather than their name - it will be fun trying to work out who's who. Or they could write the person's name and put something nice or funny on the other side.

2 Dear Santa

Get your child to write a letter to Father Christmas today - then buy a frame and hang it on the wall.

3 Buy a group pressie

If you've got time for some last-minute shopping, buy a "family" present. It could be a game, or a great Christmas DVD like It's A Wonderful Life that everyone can enjoy together.

4 Are those footprints?

Before they go to bed, help them put icing sugar on a tray and then put two mince pies and a raw carrot on top for Santa's reindeer to eat. Leave it by the fireplace or the door. Once the kids are asleep remove (or eat!) the mince pies, leave just the top of the carrot and draw small hoof-prints in the icing sugar.

5 Create evidence

Leave a glass of sherry out, put a bit of cotton wool on the empty glass, and tell the kids it's a piece of Santa's beard.

6 Make an entrance

Sprinkle icing sugar and glitter on the doormat to welcome guests. Just make sure they take their shoes off if you don't want to spend all day vacuuming!

7 Remember Christmases past

Raid the family photo album for half a dozen snaps of past Christmases. Stick them on a large sheet of paper with some funny captions, put some tinsel round it and pin it to the wall.

8 Make a special soundtrack

Make your own festive album of hits with timeless classics from Bing Crosby to Slade by burning tracks on to a CD or downloading on to your iPod. Play it throughout the day.

9 Merry Xmas...bleep

Change your answerphone message to a festive greeting - that way you can wish everyone "Merry Christmas" even if you're busy.

10 Paper the door

Tape a roll of wrapping paper to the open doorframe of the room where the presents are - you'll probably have to stick several rolls together. Make a thin slit in the middle of the paper and on Christmas morning get your kids to burst through to find their presents. (Make sure the door definitely is open!)

11 Toast the day

Make a special breakfast - Scottish pancakes with maple syrup or croissants with bucks fizz will get the day off to a great start. Or even cut the toast into Christmas tree shapes.

12 Be mad hatters

Buy your kids and any guests their very own reindeer ears or a Santa hat to wear throughout the day. Or you could even ask everyone coming to bring their own - and tell them they won't be allowed through the door without one on their head.

13 Create a festive smell

Fill your home with lovely warm smells. Light a frankincense-scented candle, cook mince pies gently in the oven or put some cinnamon sticks into oranges and dot them around the house so every room smells divine.

14 Just one more pressie

When you're giving out presents, keep one back for everyone until after lunch. It will keep the excitement going and they'll probably appreciate it more if it's unwrapped separately after the main opening frenzy.

15 Have a pressie

Hide some of the smaller presents around the house - under the beds, behind the curtains, in the cupboards - and get everyone to go and find them. If anyone finds someone else's, they have to leave it where it is - and not let on!

16 Send a festive text

Had a Christmas card from a friend you haven't spoken to for ages? Send them a surprise text on Christmas Day, telling them you'll phone them soon.

17 Cocktail hour

Make a non-alcoholic Christmas cocktail as a mid-morning pick-me-up. Mix equal quantities of orange juice with bitter lemon or cranberry juice. Stir and garnish with wedges of lime or orange.

18 Festive dip

Live near the sea? Many seaside towns hold a Christmas Day swim - so go and cheer the swimmers on and maybe even have a dip yourself!

19 Deck the table

Cover the table in wrapping paper. If you choose sparkly paper, it will reflect the candles on the table and look even better.

20 Say cheese

Place disposable cameras on the Christmas table so everyone can take funny, spontaneous pictures of each other.

21 Set a candle competition

Buy some floating candles in different colours. Fill a large bowl with water, put the candles in and get everyone to light one. The person whose candle lasts longest wins a prize. You could put some holly round the bottom of the bowl and make it the centrepiece for the Christmas table.

22 Turn down the lights

Switch Christmas lunch to the evening and eat it by candlelight.

23 Hit a note

Ring relatives who can't be with you and sing Christmas carols down the phone.

24 Have a carol contest

Instead of charades, have a carol competition - everyone has to write down as many carols as they can in five minutes. Afterwards, see who knows the most words to each song!

25 Chocolate heaven

In the evening, settle down to watch your favourite Christmas TV programme with a REAL hot chocolate. For two people place 50g (2oz) plain chocolate, broken into pieces, a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon and 400ml (14fl oz) of milk into a saucepan. Heat it gently until the chocolate is melted, making sure it doesn't boil. Add marshmallows and top with whipped cream and grated chocolate.